István Várkonyi-Fekete

Between 1952 and 1956, he was a design engineer in the aluminum, non-ferrous metal, construction and smelting industries. After that, he was a research associate at the Budapest University of Technology (BME) until 1962. From 1962 to 1987, he was a head of department at the Bánki Donát College of Mechanical Engineering (BDGMF). From 1988, he was a director of the Institute of Finance and Accounting (PSZF) until 1990, when he retired.

He is credited with attempting to integrate mathematics and computer science subjects. He wrote and defended his PhD thesis on this topic in 1987. At the BDGMF, from the 1986/87 academic year, students also dealt with programming examples in mathematics classes, while in computer science classes they also learned about the relevant mathematical foundations. Some mathematics chapters also included the inclusion of the appropriate algorithm in a flowchart; based on these flowcharts, students wrote programs in practical classes.

In 1991 he became an education policy expert at the Budapest Metropolitan Municipality. He was a founding member and first president of the Christian Pedagogical Society. He then became the first principal of the Mindszenty József Roman Catholic Primary School in Zalaszentlászló, and then the director of the Central Transdanubian Regional Educational Center. Since 1994 he has been a teacher at the Balaton Academy and the Gábor Dénes College (GDF).

During his career, he taught electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, automation, computer science, Hungarian history, and political science based on his research into the oeuvre of István Bibó. He has published 15 books, mostly textbooks, and about 30 publications.

During his work, he received a 2nd degree academic award, the Outstanding Worker of the Mechanical Industry, the Outstanding Worker of Education, the Outstanding Work awards, the Pedagogical Service Memorial Medal, the Silver Cross of Merit of the Republic of Hungary, and in 2001 the István Bibó Memorial Medal.